science of logic-第4章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


which　are　only　attached　to　the　content；　but　are　not　the　content　itself。　But　if　the　truth　of　the　matter　is
what　we　have　already　stated　and　also　is　generally　admitted；　namely　that　the　nature；　the　peculiar
essence；　that　which　is　genuinely　permanent　and　substantial　in　the　complexity　and　contingency　of
appearance　and　fleeting　manifestation；　is　the　notion　of　the　thing；　the　immanent　universal；　and
that　each　human　being　though　infinitely　unique　is　so　primarily　because　he　is　a　man；　and　each
individual　animal　is　such　individual　primarily　because　it　is　an　animal：　if　this　is　true；　then　it　would　be
impossible　to　say　what　such　an　individual　could　still　be　if　this

foundation　were　removed；　no　matter　how　richly　endowed　the　individual　might　be　with　other
predicates；　if；　that　is；　this　foundation　can　equally　be　called　a　predicate　like　the　others。　The
indispensable　foundation；　the　notion；　the　universal　which　is　the　thought　itself；　in　so　far　as　one　can
make　abstraction　from　the　general　idea　expressed　by　the　word　'thought'；　cannot　be　regarded　as
only　an　indifferent　form　attached　to　a　content。　But　these　thoughts　of　everything　natural　and
spiritual；　even　the　substantial　content　；　still　contain　a　variety　of　determinatenesses　and　are　still
charged　with　the　difference　of　a　soul　and　a　body；　of　the　notion　and　a　relative　reality；　the
profounder　basis　is　the　soul　itself；　the　pure　Notion　which　is　the　very　heart　of　things；　their　simple
life…pulse；　even　of　subjective　thinking　of　them。　
To　focus　attention　on　this　logical　nature　which　animates　mind；　moves　and　works　in　it；　this　is　the
task。　The　broad　distinction　between　the　instinctive　act　and　the　intelligent　and　free　act　is　that　the
latter　is　performed　with　an　awareness　of　what　is　being　done；　when　the　content　of　the　interest　in
which　one　is　absorbed　is　drawn　out　of　its　immediate　unity　with　oneself　and　becomes　an
independent　object　of　one's　thinking；　then　it　is　that　spirit　begins　to　be　free；　whereas　when　thinking
is　an　instinctive　activity；　spirit　is　enmeshed　in　the　bonds　of　its　categories　and　is　broken　up　into　an
infinitely　varied　material。

Here　and　there　in　this　mesh　there　are　firm　knots　which　give　stability　and　direction　to　the　life　and
consciousness　of　spirit；　these　knots　or　nodes　owe　their　fixity　and　power　to　the　simple　fact　that
having　been　brought　before　consciousness；　they　are　independent；　self…existent　Notions　of　its
essential　nature。　The　most　important　point　for　the　nature　of　spirit　is　not　only　the　relation　of　what　it
is　in　itself　to　what　it　is　actually；　but　the　relation　of　what　it　knows　itself　to　be　to　what　it　actually　is；
because　spirit　is　essentially　consciousness；　this　self…knowing　is　a　fundamental　determination　of　its
actuality。

As　impulses　the　categories　are　only　instinctively　active。　At　first　they　enter　consciousness　separately
and　so　are　variable　and　mutually　confusing；　consequently　they　afford　to　mind　only　a　fragmentary
and　uncertain　actuality；　the　loftier　business　of　logic　therefore　is　to　clarify　these　categories　and　in
them　to　raise　mind　to　freedom　and　truth。

What　we　indicated　as　the　beginning　of　the　science　＇of　logic＇　—　a　beginning　which　we　have　already
recognised　as　having　a　high　value　both　on　its　own　account　and　as　a　condition　of　genuine
knowledge…namely；　the　treatment　of　Notions　generally　and　the　moments　of　the　Notion；　that　is；　the
determinations　of　thought；　primarily　as　forms　which　are　distinct　from　the　matter　of　thought　and　only
attached　to　it；　this　attitude　directly　reveals　itself　as　intrinsically　inadequate　for　the　attainment　of　truth
—　and　the　truth　is　the　declared　object　of　and　aim　of　logic。　For；　as　such　mere　forms；　as　distinct
from　the　content；　they　are　assumed　to　be　standing　in　a　determination　which　stamps　them　as　finite
and　makes　them　incapable　of　holding　the　truth　which　is　in　its　own　self　infinite。　In　whatever　respect
the　true　may　be　associated　with　limitation　and　finitude；　this　is　the　aspect　of　its　negation；　of　its
untruth　and　unreality；　that　is；　of　its　end；　not　of　the　affirmation　which；　as　the　true；　it　is。？

Faced　with　the　baldness　of　the　merely　formal　categories；　the　instinct　of　healthy　common　sense　has；
in　the　end；　felt　itself　to　be　so　much　in　the　right　that　it　has　contemptuously　abandoned
acquaintanceship　with　them　to　the　domain　of　school　logic　and　metaphysics；　at　the　same　time；
common　sense　fails　to　appreciate　the　value　even　of　a　proper　awareness　of　these　fragments　and　is
quite　unaware　that　in　the　instinctive　thinking　of　natural　logic；　and　still　more　in　the　deliberate
rejection　of　any　acquaintance　with　or　knowledge　of　the　thought　determinations　themselves；　it　is　in
bondage　to　unclarified　and　therefore　unfree　thinking。　The　simple　basic　determination　or　common
form　of　the　collection　of　such　forms　is　identity　which；　in　the　logic　of　this　collection；　is　asserted　as
the　law　of　identity；　as　A　=　A；　and　as　the　principle　of　contradiction。　Healthy　common　sense　has　so
much　lost　its　respect　for　the　school　which　claims　possession　of　such　laws　of　truth　and　still　busies
itself　with　them　that　it　ridicules　it　and　its　laws　and　regards　anyone　as　insufferable　who　can　utter
truths　in　accordance　with　such　laws：　the　plant　is…a　plant；　science　is…science。　It　has　also　formed　an
equally　just　estimate　of　the　significance　of　the　formulas　which　constitute　the　rules　of　syllogising
which　in　fact　is　a　cardinal　function　of　the　understanding　（although　it　would　be　a　mistake　not　to
recognise　that　these　have　their　place　in　cognition　where　they　must　be　obeyed）；　it　knows　that　the
formulas　quite　as　well　serve　impartially　error　and　sophistry　and　that　however　truth　may　be　defined；
they　cannot　serve　higher；　for　example；　religious　truth…that　generally　speaking　they　concern　only　the
correctness　of　the　knowledge　of　facts；　not　truth　itself。

The　inadequacy　of　this　way　of　regarding　thought　which　leaves　truth　on　one　side　can　only　be　made
good　by　including　in　our　conception　of　thought　not　only　that　which　is　usually　reckoned　as
belonging　to　the　external　form　but　the　content　as　well。　It　is　soon　evident　that　what　at　first　to
ordinary　reflection　is；　as　content；　divorced　from　form；　cannot　in　fact　be　formless；　cannot　be　devoid
of　inner　determination；　if　it　were；　then　it　would　be　only　vacuity；　the　abstraction　of　the　thing…in…itself；
that；　on　the　contrary；　the　content　in　its　own　self　possesses　form；　in　fact　it　is　through　form　alone　that
it　has　soul　and　meaning；　and　that　it　is　form　itself　which　is　transformed　only　into　the　semblance　of　a
content；　hence　into　the　semblance　of　something　external　to　this　semblance。　With　this　introduction
of　the　content　into　the　logical　treatment；　the　subject　matter　is　not　things　but　their　import；　the
Notion　of　them。　But　in　this　connection　we　can　be　reminded　that　there　is　a　multitude　of　Notions；　a
multitude　of　objects　＇Sache＇。　We　have；　however；　already　said　how　it　is　that　restrictions　are
imposed　on　this　multitude；　that　the　Notion；　simply　as　thought；　as　a　universal；　is　the　immeasurable
abbreviation　of　the　multitudes　of　particular　things　which　are　vaguely　present　to　intuition　and
pictorial　thought；　but　also　a　Notion　is；　first；　in　its　own　self　the　Notion；　and　this　is　only　one　and　is
the　substantial　foundation；　secondly；　a　Notion　is　determinate　and　it　is　this　determinateness　in　it
which　appears　as　content：　but　the　determinateness　of　the　Notion　is　a　specific　form　of　this
substantial　oneness；　a　moment　of　the　form　as　totality；　of　that　same　Notion　which　is　the　foundation
of　the　specific　Notions。

This　Notion　is　not　sensuously　intuited　or　represented；　it　is　solely　an　object；　a　product　and　content
of　thinking；　and　is　the　absolute；　self…subsistent　object；　the　logos；　the　reason　of　that　which　is；　the
truth　of　what　we　call　things；　it　is　least　of　all　the　logos　which　should　be　left　outside　of　the　science　of
logic。

Therefore　its　inclusion　in　or　omission　from　this　science　must　not　be　simply　a　matter　of　choice。
When　those　determinations　of　thought　which　are　only　external　forms　are　truly　considered　in
themselves；　this　can　only　result　in　demonstrating　their　finitude　and　the　untruth　of　their　supposed
independent　self…subsistence；　that　their　truth　is　the　Notion。　Consequently；　the　science　of　logic　in
dealing　with　the　thought　determinations　which　in　general　run　through　our　mind　instinctively　and
unconsciously…and　even　when　they　become　part　of　the　language　do　not　become　objects　of　our
attention…will　also　be　a　reconstruction　of　those　which　are　singled　out　by　reflection　and　are　fixed　by
it　as　subjective　forms　external　to　the　matter　and　import　of　the　determinations　of　thought。



No　subject　matter　is　so　absolutely　capable　of　being　expounded　with　a　strict　immanent　plasticity　as
is　thought　in　its　own　necessary　development；　no　other　brings　with　it　this　demand　in　such　a　degree；
in　this　respect　the　Science　of　Logic　must　surpass　even　mathematics；　for　no　subject　matter　has　in　its
own　self　this　freedom　and　independence。　Such　an　exposition　would　demand　that　at　no　stage　of　the
development　should　any　thought…determination　or　reflection　occur　which　does　not　immediately
emerge　at　this　stage　and　that　has　not　entered　this　stage　from　the　one　preceding　it…a　requirement
which　is　satisfied；　after　its　fashion；　in　the　process　of　mathematical　reasoning。　However；　such　an
abstract　perfection　of　exposition　must；　I　admit；　in　general　be　dispensed　with；　the　very　fact　that　the
science　must　begin　with　what　is　absolutely　simple；　that　is；　with　what　is　most　general　and　of　least
import；　would　restrict　the　exposition　solely　to　these　same　quite　simple　expressions　of　the　simple
without　any　further　addition　of　a　single　word；　all　that　could　properly　be　admitted　would　be
negative　considerations　intended　to　ward　off　and　banish　any　heterogeneous　elements　which
otherwise　might　be　introduced　by　pictorial　thought　or　unregulated　thinking。　However；　such
intrusive　elements　in　the　simple　immanent　course　of　the　development　are　themselves　contingent；　so
that　the　effort　to　ward　them　off　is　itself　tainted　with　this　contingency；　besides　which　it　is　futile　to　try
to　deal　with　all　of　them；　lying　as　they　do　outside　the　subject　matter；　and　in　any　case；　any　demand
for　a　systematic　disposal　of　such　random　reflections　could　only　be　partially　satisfied。　But　the
peculiar　restlessness　and　distraction　of　our　modern　consciousness　compel　us　to　take　some　account
of　the　more　readily　suggested　reflections　and　opinions。　A　plastic　discourse　demands；　too；　a　plastic
receptivity　and　understanding　on　the　part　of　the　listener；　but　youths　and　men　of　such　a　temper　who
would　calmly　suppress　their　own　reflections　and　opinions　in　which　original　thought　is　so　impatient
to　manifest　itself；　listeners　such　as　Plato　feigned；　who　would　attend　only　to　the　matter　in　hand；
could　have　no　place　in　a　modern　dialogue；　still　less　could　one　count　on　readers　of　such　a
disposition。　On　the　contrary；　I　have　been　only　too　often　and　too　vehemently　attacked　by
opponents　who　were　incapable　of　making　the　simple　reflection　that　their　opinions　and　objections

contain　categories　which　are　presuppositions　and　which　themselves　need　to　be　criticised　first
before　they　are　employed。　Ignorance　in　this　matter　reaches　incredible　lengths；　it　is　guilty　of；　the
fundamental　misunderstanding；　the　uncouth　and　uneducated　behaviour　of　taki